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Friday, 22 July 2011

The rain held off just enough!

The crowd formed above the steps however...the stand is in a dip that's part of all that modern stuff comprising London's City Hall. Essentially, anyone taking a stroll along the Thames stopped in astonishment to hear music from 1901, 1924, 1933 issuing forth from an area that normally features rock, blues and the occasional folk. So we caused quite a jam for the Thames-side promenaders!

There were City-workers with their sandwiches, a well-behaved set of schoolchildren, several retired people, mums and their

toddlers, young hipsters, tourists. They all loved it, thank the Lord.

Photo by Debee Calveche

Nick Ball showed off his skills making the very U2-looking slick modern drum-kit provided by Scoop Music sound as if it was from 1920, and bringing out his spoons to display his unparalleled virtuosity with kitchen implements. He wore a bowler hat and 30s suit. Matthew Redman had 20s gangster pinstripes and a fedora. Orpheus wore his tails and a top-hat, seen here being adjusted by the very professional hands of Mr. Redman. Andrea had her lovely dark velvet and some silk flowers, and bassist John Baker had his morning-coat. I don't know what it is about John. When he wears it, he looks like a sixties mod in Victorian duds he picked up from Granny Takes A Trip on the King's Road. I cannot work out how this happens. He doesn't try for it, I don't think. It's a good look, though.

After the gig we posed for photos, with Debee Calveche, Matt's gorgeous girlfriend, behind the camera. She also did some videos which I hope we'll be able to post soon. Nick's girlfriend, the extremely talented Emily O'Hara, who has a band called Vila Verde, came dressed in a purple cloche hat and lovely little dress and some excellent high heeled mini-boots. Looked so damned good I felt like having her on stage even though she hadn't brought her guitar or ukulele.

Mind you she could have borrowed one from Matt, he having carted along a mandolin, a guitar, a banjo, a melodica and Nick's glockenspiel to play by turns, which he did to excellent effect. I wish I could sing

like a soprano, bass and tenor when I so chose. I do a mean impersonation of a countertenor though, and some people have said I sound like a castrato from time to time. How they'd know, I can't imagine.